How to Brightly Colour Your Hair – Tips & Tools

Your dying tool kit:

• 2 X Gloves! Some dyes come with those giant plastic gloves but I find rubber gloves easier…Unless you have some of those tight kinky latex one’s. *snap*
• Vaseline – for your face! Or any other thick grease to cover your ears, neck and just below your hairline.
• A comb (preferably a tail comb which makes it easier to section off parts of the hair).
• A tint brush with the end of a tail comb makes the whole process so much easier if your dye comes in a tub/tube.
• Hair bobbles if you want to section off hair. I love these plastic/rubber no-snag ones as they are easy to manipulate with gloves on. DO NOT USE metal clips or one’s with metal springs as they can react to chemicals in the dye!
• A damp soapy rag to wipe dye off your face, hands, work tops, walls, the dog etc.
• A thick flat plastic bag to put your dye and tools on. It’s good to make a waterproof designated area so everything is to hand exactly when you need it.
• A timer (I use an old kitchen one as I’m not bringing my phone or iPad anywhere near wet dye).
• An old towel or at least one that’s the same colour as your dye to dry your hair with afterward.
• Old sheets/towels/clothes

How To:

1. Don’t waste your time and money on trying to dye brown hair a lighter or brighter colour if you have not pre-lightened it first. Not only will it not show up properly but it might not even take at all. I recommend getting it lightened at a hairdressers to get the tone of blond correct and too make sure you don’t frazzle your hair. It’s also important to note that a lot of dyes can turn out several shades lighter than the colour on the packet (like in the photo’s above).
2. Always do a patch test underneath, near the scalp 48 hours before. Even if you’ve used the dye before as formulas can change as can our sensitivities.
3. Read the instructions thoroughly and don’t assume anything. Some dyes should be applied to wet hair, some to dry etc.
4. Change into your old/black clothes.
5. Cover up everything surrounding you, including the back of the chair and the floor, even if it’s vinyl like in the kitchen or bathroom. Sometimes no matter how much you clean it and what you use to clean with, you will still end up with permanent modern art on your floor if you don’t.
6. Smear the grease over your ears and neck and just below your hairline.
7. Put the gloves on BEFORE opening the dye – trust me.
8. Clock what time you started at.
9. Considering what areas are being dyed, either section off the hair with the tail comb/tint brush and fasten back with the bobbles or just comb hair flat and then paint on with tint brush.
10. Remember hair strands are multi-dimentional so cover all sides with dye, especially if have very thick hair.
11. Bairing in mind what time you started putting dye on, set the timer for how long it needs to develop. The longer you leave it, the more extreme the depth and vibrancy of the colour. So bear this in mind if you want a natural look. As a teen, I once aimed for ‘Auburn’ and came out a vibrant ‘Ginger ninja’. Quite a feat considering I didn’t pre-ligten my hair first.
12. Before rinsing off, put fresh gloves on so you can really wriggle your fingers into the roots of your hair and loosen all of the dye. I looked like a character from Frozen a few weeks ago, with my blue finger tips and nails. Then wrap hair in the designated towel and your done!

❤ Chrissie ❤